Bittersweet
by Scourge The Hedgehog
Summary: The ruminations of the one who killed the Pirate Sentai. One cannot escape the prison where one gets everything they could ever want. AU, End-Series Spoilers, Dark


It felt good sitting in the Captain's chair.

Basco switches the legs resting on the table his bare feet were on, his arms behind his head.

He surveys his new home quietly, allowing the breeze from the air conditioner to titulate his neck softly.

The Gokai Galleon was much more stylish than the ship Basco had before. Had more... ambiance to it. It wasn't the cold dungeon the Free Joker was. Of course, Basco had been on it before; but he finally LIVED on it. Brief bouts of espionage didn't really let you appreciate a place, did they?

It was an even grander place now that the so-called pirate Sentai the Galleon belonged to were dead.

He had finally gotten the Gokaigers out of the way, as he knew he eventually would.

They were persistent buggers, certainly. Ten times, Basco had to show them their place. Of course, hurling Marv's dead corpse by their faces made the rest of them quite easy to dispatch. The closest thing to damage they did to him was the scar under Basco's neck...courtesy of Joe. Ironically, it was Joe that went down first. Basco had already forgotten how he took the other ones out; but they didn't matter anymore. They were just corpses in the frozen meat locker that used to be their basement.

He even got their Greater Power out of the deal. The Power to Seize Dreams, Marvey-chan called it. Seems taking the dreams from others made them yours. And now, they served Basco's dream...Well, his _new_ dream.

He had already found the Treasure. Navi was the Key, as expected. After the Gokaigers had fallen, the other Sentai didn't really put up a fight. It was boring, to be honest. Like beating an obese child at a running race. You knew you could. It just wasn't satisfying. And AkaRed was nowhere to be found, like the coward Basco knew he was. He'd have to deal with the red pest sooner or later, he supposed. Heroes had a tendency to pop up at the most inopportune times.

As for the Treasure, it was little more than a wishing lamp. Like the ones you hear about in children's tales. But, it re-wrote the past. Time was the one thing next to reality you didn't mess around with, so rather than let anyone else have it, he destroyed the thing. It gave a cute little red "POOF!" as it faded away. Upped his Zagin Bounty by ten million when Zangyack heard the news.

Now here was the dilemma. Those corpses had sentimental value to Basco for obvious reasons. But giving them to Gill would make his bounty non-existent. Might even net him a position of power, if Gill was in a good mood. At that point, insert typical internal takeover scenario. (That's ignoring the possibility of Gill trying to off him on the spot, which is what would probably happen)

What use would the corpses be, though? Collector's value, fragile bargaining chip, or Halloween decorations?

He'd have to think over that at dinner. Speaking of which, what was on the menu tonight? Homemade Sushi? Garlic Chicken? Bah, he'll go pasta tonight, complete with a chocolate-covered cherry desert! Heck, if he started cooking soon, he'd be able to watch Earth's destruction during. (Discreetly, of course. Wouldn't want Zangyack sensors picking him up...yet.)

This was such a great day. Basco was in such a giddy mood.

But if he was so happy, then why did he feel so empty, too?

Maybe it was a pang of guilt? A loneliness stemming from being alone?

He had to admit, he was less lonely when Sally was around.

But you had to give to get. Sally was always soft. Sure, she was kind to Basco...And she had the higher thinking of a potato...but a situation where the two would disagree would've came up one way or the other; so losing her was for the best, Basco reckoned. Besides, if he had a choice between fake friendship and the Greatest Treasure, the choice was obvious!

But what would he do now that the Treasure he gave so much up for turned out to be a dud?

He could do mercenary work, maybe. But what would he do with the Money? There were always maids, whores, and the like; but Basco wasn't _that_ type of consumer.

Donate it all? Psshh, yeah right. The weak deserved no pity.

Finance an army and try to conquer the universe? Like he needed the drama OR the paperwork. Too much hassle.

He could open a restaurant chain, he supposed. He liked it when people enjoyed his cooking but he didn't like people. Plus, aside from revenue; he gained nothing out of it.

There were other treasures in the universe, Basco knew...But once he found them...? They'd just take up space as coin or collectible. Or both if he was crafty about it.

The empty feeling gnawed at him even more tightly now, like a snake constricting it's prey.

Wow...He did everything he could possibly want to do...And he's only been on Earth what, a month or two?

He spent hard years to get here and THIS was the result? Purpose-less survival for the sake of perpetuating itself?

The villain sighed deeply, a contemplative frown replacing the giddy smile he had not a moment sooner.

He had a feeling dinner wouldn't taste so good tonight...


End file.
